Bunk or truck for lumber-driers.



No. 765,751. PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

J. I. oTT. BUNK 0R TRUCK TOR LUMBER DRIERS.

4APPLICATION FILED DEO. 14, 1903.

UNITED STATES Patented J Iuly 26,1904..

JAMES I. OTT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BUNK OR TRUCK FOR LUNIBER-DRIERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,751, dated July 26, 1904.

Application filed December 14;, 1903x Serial No. 185,104. (No model.)

T a/ZZ 1,071,017?, it 117,47/ cm1/cern:

Be it known that I, JAMES I. OTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Bunk or 'Iruck for Lumber-Driers, of which the following is a specification.

rIhis invention relates to bunks or trucks for lumber-driers.

lhe object of the invention is to provide a bunk or truck which is simple and economical in construction and efficient in operation.

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination, location, and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring' to the accompanying' drawings, and to the various views and reference-signs appearing' thereon, Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a bunk or truck embodying' the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig'. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached detail view in plan of the truck-wheel-supporting casting. Fig. 5 is a view in section on the line 5, Fig. 1.

The same part is designated by the same reference-sign wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

In use the lumber to be dried and seasoned is piled upon two or more bunks or trucks, and the loaded bunks or trucks are then run into the drying-room, where it is retained until it has become sufficiently seasoned, and thereafter the bunks or trucks are run out of the d rying-room and the lumber unloaded therefrom. In practice the bunks or trucks are usually employed in sets of two or three, the lumber when of short lengths being supported at each end thereof on a bunk or truck,

and when the lumber is of greater length a third bunk or truck is placed underneath the center of the lumber, the bunks or trucks operating on track-rails and to this end being provided with truck-wheels.

'Ihe truck or bunk comprises channel-beams A B of suitable length and suitably spaced apart to receive truck-wheels C therebetween,

the side or channel beams A B being suitably clamped or secured together-as, for instance, by bolts D. It is usual to employ a truckwheel C at each end of the bunk or truck. In order to secure lightness, which is a desirable feature and consideration, it is advisable to employ as narrow channel-beams as possible, and in order to prevent undue wear on the surfaces of the truck or bunk wheels which operate on the track-rails, as indicated at E, Fig. 3, it is desirable that said truck or bunk wheels be of as large diameter as possible. In the ordinary construction of bunks or trucks for use in lu mber-driers or drying-kilns, where the truck-wheels are supported upon axles having their ends received through openings in the webs of the side beams or channel-bars, either the diameter of the truck or bunk wheels must be reduced in order that the peripheral surface thereof may not project above the top or sup-VV porting surface of the side bars or beams orl else the side bars or beams must be of great width in order to receive therebetween the truck-wheels without-permitting the peripheries of the truck-wheels to extend above the top surface of said side beams. In either case an objection is encountered. In the one case the truck-wheels are made so small in diameter as to bind on the track-rails, and in the other case the side beams are made so heavy that it is difcult for the trucks or bunks to be readily handled. It is among the special purposes of my present invention to avoid these objections and to provide a construction of bunk or truck for use in lumber-driers or kilns which is efficient and light, and thereby readily handled, and also wherein I am enabled to employ truck or bunk wheels of sufiicient diameter to avoid binding of the same upon the track-rails.

In carrying out my invention I employ a casting F in the form of a rectangular frame arranged to be received between the channel beams or bars A B and against the sides of which casting the inner surfaces of the webs of the ,channel-beams lie, as clearly shown. At each side thereof the castingFis provided with adepending shouldered extension G. In each depending shouldered extension G is formed a semicircular seat H. The upper sur- IOO faces of the extensions G form a bearing-snrface arranged to bear against the under surface of the lower ange J of the side beams A B. By this means the casting F constitutes a spreading device to maintain the channelbeams A B suitably separated. The clampbolts D pass transversely through webs of the channel-beams A B and through the sides of the casting F and serve to clamp and draw these parts into clamping relation with respect to each other. The truck-wheels C are mounted upon axles K on roller-bearings, if desired, as indicated at L, in the ordinary or any usual manner, the ends of the axle K being' received in semicircular seats H, formed in the extensions G of casting F. If desired, and preferably, the axles K are reduced on one side thereof adjacent to their ends, as indicated at M, such reduced or iiattened surfaces of the axles bearing against the under surface of the lower flange J of the side beams A B, as clearly shown in Fig'. 3. From this description it will be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple and eflicient construction, wherein instead of supporting the axles for the truckwheels in openings formed through the webs of the channel-beams, and which would necessarily prescribe the diameter of the wheels or else necessitate an undesirable width of channel-beam, and consequently result in an undesirably-increased weight, I mount the axles which carry the truekwheels in a casting which is placed between the channel-beams and serves as a spreader to keep the same separated and which is provided with depending extensions which depend below the lower fiange of the channel-beams, thereby enabling me to lower the position of the axles sufliciently to permit of the use of wheels of increased diameter and without materially adding to the weight of the bunk or truck. Itwill also be seen that I provide a construction in which the parts are compactly held together, the casting bearing against the inner opposed surfaces of the webs of thc channel-beams and also against the under surfaces of the lower fianges thereof, thus forming efiieient support for the channel-beams and enabling the parts to be clamped together by the ordinary securing or clamp bolts. It will also be observed that by extending the ends of the axles K and providing the extended ends thereof with reduced or flattened surfaces which bear against the under surface of the lower flange J of the side beams A B, as above described, the weight of the bunk or truck and of the load carried thereby is imposed upon the axles through the channel-beams, thereby enabling me to greatly reduce the weight of the casting F, and hence materially reducing the weight of the bunk and the cost of manufacture of the same.

It is obvious that many variations and changes in the details of construction and arrangement would readily occur to persons skilled in the art and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not desire, therefore, to be limited or restricted to the exact details shown and described. It will also be seen that I am enabled to employ castings which do not require machine-finishing, thereby greatly reducing the cost of manufacture. It will also be seen that I providea construction which is not only economical in manufacture and efficient, but which is light without sacrificing durability and wherein truck-wheels of increased diameter may be employed.

IVhat I claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A bunk or truck comprising side bars or beams, a casting arranged to be received between said side bars or beams, said casting provided with depending extensions, an axle supported in said depending extensions, and having its ends arranged to extend into position to bear against the under side of the side bars or beams, and a truck-wheel mounted upon said axle, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a bunk or truck for lumber-driers, the combination with side beams, of a casting arranged to be received between said side beams and provided with depending' extensions forming shoulders .arranged to support said side beams, means for clamping said side beams together and upon said casting, an axle having its ends received in seats formed in said depending extensions of the casting, said axle having its ends arranged to extend into position to bear against the under side or surface of the side bars or beams, and a wheel journaled upon said axle, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a bunk or truck for lumber-driers, the combination with side beams, of a casting arranged to be received between said side beams at each of the ends of the latter, said casting having sides against which said side beams bear, each casting having a depending extension arranged to bear against the under surface of said beams, seats formed in said depending extensions, an axle having its ends received in the seats in the extensions of each casting, said axles having reduced surfaces arranged to bear against the under side of the side beams. truck-wheels journaled upon said axles, and bolts for clamping said side beams against the sides of said castings, as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand, this 12th day of December, 1903, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

JAMES l. OTT.

Witnesses:

Cir/is. I-I. SEEN, S. E. DARBY.

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